1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image-forming apparatus which includes a recording unit provided with a non-paper-medium supplier which supplies a non-paper medium, which is a medium other than paper, to a printing unit in addition to a paper-medium supplier which supplies a paper medium to the printing unit. In addition, the present invention also relates to an image-forming apparatus such as a multifunction printer (MFP) which has a facsimile function and a method for controlling the image-forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, inkjet printers including a non-paper-medium supplier which supplies a non-paper medium, such as a compact disc recordable (CDR), to a printing unit in addition to a paper-medium supplier, such as an automatic sheet feeder (ASF), which supplies a paper medium to the printing unit have become popular. In such an inkjet printer, data processed by an information processing terminal such as a personal computer (PC) can be printed on the non-paper medium.
On the other hand, multifunction machines which can be connected to an information processing terminal such as a PC, which include a reading unit constructed of contact image sensors (CIS) and charge-coupled devices (CCDs), and which serve various functions such as a copy function, a PC print function, a facsimile function, etc. have also become popular.
Accordingly, a multifunction machine which includes a recording device (printer) having the non-paper-medium supplier which supplies the non-paper medium such as a CDR to the printing unit can be obtained.
In the case in which the recording machine including the non-paper-medium supplier which supplies the non-paper medium such as a CDR to the printing unit is mounted in the multifunction machine having functions such as a copy function, a PC print function, a facsimile function, etc., the paper-medium supplier and the non-paper-medium supplier must be used selectively depending on the function performed.
For example, if the non-paper-medium supplier is attached to the main body of the image-forming apparatus when a normal copying process or a facsimile-receiving process is performed, there is a risk that a copy image or a facsimile image will be printed on the non-paper medium such as a CDR.
In addition, if a printing process using the paper-medium supplier is started when the non-paper-medium supplier is attached to the main body of the image-forming apparatus, paper jam occurs due to structural reasons and the printing process cannot be performed.
Accordingly, if the non-paper-medium supplier is attached to the main body of the image-forming apparatus when the normal copying process or the facsimile-receiving process is started, the copy image or the facsimile image must be reliably prevented from being printed on the non-paper medium such as a CDR. For example, if the copying process is started, activation of the reading unit and the recording unit may be stopped, and if the facsimile-receiving process is performed, received data may be recorded on a storage medium installed in the main body instead of being transmitted to the recording unit.
In addition, when a process of printing on the non-paper medium such as a CDR using the non-paper-medium supplier is performed, the process must be stopped immediately if the non-paper-medium supplier is not attached to the main body of the image-forming apparatus.
In addition, even when the non-paper-medium supplier is attached to the main body when the process of printing on the non-paper medium such as a CDR using the non-paper-medium supplier is performed, the process must be stopped immediately if, for example, the non-paper medium such as a CDR is not loaded and it is determined that the printing process using the non-paper-medium supplier cannot be performed normally.
In the above-described multifunction machine such as a multifunction printer (MFP), facsimiles can always be received irrespective of whether a user is present, and therefore there is a possibility that a facsimile is received while the non-paper-medium supplier is attached to the main body. In such a case, although an image received via facsimile must be printed on a paper medium, it cannot be printed on the paper medium if the paper medium is not set. In addition, paper jam occurs if the process of printing on the paper medium is forcibly performed.
Such a problem can be prevented by storing all of the facsimiles received while the non-paper-medium supplier is attached to the main body in a memory. However, if all of the facsimiles are stored in the memory, the memory eventually becomes full and it becomes impossible to receive facsimiles.
More specifically, although it is not an error to attach the non-paper-medium supplier to the main body as in the cases where there is no paper or ink, if the facsimiles are received while the non-paper-medium supplier is attached to the main body, it eventually becomes impossible to receive them.
This problem also occurs in image-forming apparatuses other than facsimile machines.